Oh man, I dunno if I’m the best person to ask about this - even with recent events I wouldn’t call myself a “noticed” artist by any means - but I’ll try my hand at an answer.

I feel like being noticed as an artist is a really precarious balance between luck and skill. Sometimes you get lucky, and sometimes you don’t, but either way you have to try your best, hokey as that sounds? The one thing in all of this art craziness that you can control - can’t control luck, can’t control other people, and controlling insecurities is often a tug-o-war sort of battle - is how much stuff you make, and what stuff you make that you put out there in the public sphere.

I’m in a pretty constant state of flux about whether I like or hate any given thing I create, honestly. I feel like a lot of artists go through that, though? You’re pretty much always your own worst critic, I’ve found, and art is no exception. But I decided a short while ago that if I wasn’t meeting my own standards, I would just have to keep drawing or writing or whatever it is until I do, even if by that point my standards have risen and I don’t meet those new ones. Even though that’s a lot easier to say than do a lot of the time.

So when I’m feeling really down about my work, I try to channel it in to something productive. Take all that pent-up frustration (at yourself, at others, at whatever) and make something really awesome with it!

I don’t know about “deserving the popularity you get,” or anything like that, but I do think effort is rewarded. Even if it’s just in the self-fulfillment sense.

…I’m not sure that actually answered your questions, but I hope it helped? I feel like this was kinda rambling. I really don’t consider myself to be an artist with that much exposure…but again, you’re always your own worst critic. I’m flattered that you thought to ask me, though. : )